Harness thill-strap



(Model.)

A LoBDBLL HARNESS. THILI'. STRAP.

No. 274,206. .Patented Mar. 20, l1833.

N. remis. Pkw-shawn wm", n.c.

v,UNiiTEio STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALONZO LOBDELL, OF RACINE, l/VISCONSIN.

HARNESS THAILL-STRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 274,206, dated March 20, 1883. t V

' Application nien August 1, 1ss1. (Model.)

To all whom tt may concern Be it known that I, ALONZO LoBDELL, of Racine, in the county ofR-acine, and in the State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Harness Thill- Straps; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to straps or loops for hanging the thills of vehicles to the saddlestraps of harness, and will be fully described hereinafter. y

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of my completed device, partly broken away to show the construction. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal central section of the same before it is bent into position, and Fig.3is a vertical cross-section.

Heretotore leather t-hill straps or loops have been commonly made by takinga strip of leather of twice the length of the completed strap, inserting a buckle in the center, securing a loop in proper position adjacent thereto, and then doubling the strip together, after which a tilling of leather was prepared and laid between the upper and lower portions of the doubled strip, and secured in that position by a row of stitches on each side, which seams must be sewed by handa slow andtedious` operationafter which the strap was bent into the form shown by Fig. 1 and buckled and fastened and was complete; but this was a tedious and laborious method, requiring all hand-work, and, besides, the completed article was lacking in durability, inferior in appearalice, and objectionable in various ways. Vhen the leather became thoroughly wet the device would collapse and lengthen, and would not readily admit the shafts or thills, nor permit of their easy withdrawal.

My device is designed for the obviation of these difficulties and objections, and is constructed in the following maxrner: I first take a long strip of leather-,and insert a buckle, O,

'in its center, and double the strip upon itself, as in the ordinary thill-strap described. I next sew both sides of the doubled strap together near the edges, (which can be done by a machine very rapidly, these seams being marked a and bin the drawings,) and securea loop, D, adjacent to the buckle, and then insert, by pushing from the free end of the strap, a stitfening-rod, of tlexible wood or metal, B, between the upper and lower portions, A A', of the doubled strap, thus filling up and rounding out the center thereof on both sides between the rows of stitching. I may run a crossrow of stitching just back of the buckle to avoid cutting the thread in sewingon the loop, and punch a hole in the free end of the strap for the tongue of the buckle. Finally, I bend the whole into proper shape, buckle the free end in place, and, slipping it into the loop D, I further secure this end by a tack, E, (the position of which is indicated by dotted lines in the drawings,) or by stitching, and the thill strap is formed complete, as shown in Fig. 1, and ready to buckle to the saddle-strap, from whence to hang down in position to receive the shaft.

I have thus briefly described Vthe preferred method of constructing my device; but said lmethod forms no part ot' my present invention, which relates solely to the thill--loop itself, irrespective of any particular method of manufacture,'and the mode herein described is reserved as the subject of a separate future application.

The advantages of my device and method of construction are manifest.

First, the sewing can be done by a machine, and rapidly, whereas if the tillingis first put in place, as in the old plan, hand-sewing is necessary, which consumes a great deal of time, and is not as handsomeor even as machine-work. i

Secondly, the lling is ready prepared, being preferably a rattan or wire, requiring only to be cut off the proper length, and this can be almost instantaneously pushed into place.

Thirdly, in the old-style all-leather strap a thorough soaking in the rain causes the strap to cling to the thills and pull the wagon along in unhitching, frequently, with a spirited horse, causing a runaway or other accident, wllile my strap is stili', though ljexible, and permits the thills to be promptly and easily withdrawn.

Fourthly, the old-style all-leather strap soon loses its shape and elongates, creating a difficulty in inserting the thills and friction against them, which soon Wears the strap out, whereas, by reason ofthe elastic nature ofthe filling ICO in my strap, its tendency is always to bend outward,likeaspring,thusretainingtheproper shape, avoiding friction, and presenting a handsome appearance to the last.

I am aware that metal has heretofore been largely employed, in part or in whole, in the manufacture of thillloops, and that it has been combined with leather as a lining for the loop; but while this prevented the loss of shape et' the loop and obviated its tendency to cliugto the thill, the loop thus madewas not flexible and elastic, as mine is, and the possession of these lastnamed qualities constitutes a most valuable feature of my improvement.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. Inathill-loop,tlxecombinationol'a doubled leather strip with a central tlexible rod of Wood or metal, and provided with suitable means for attachment, substantially as shown and described.

2. As an improved article of manufact-ure, y the described thill-loop, consisting of the f doubled leather strip A A', central iexible rod, B, of wood or metal, buckle C and loop D, secured together, as shown and described.

In testimony that Lclaim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 27th day of July, 188i.

ALONZO LOBDELL.

Witnesses STANLEY S. SToUT, F. W. ROBINSON. 

